I've created this topic for comments around the issues discussed in this article:
http://astrologyweekly.com/astrology-articles/free-will-destiny.php
Free Will and Destiny in Electional Astrology
First, how would you define the Electional Astrology?
This is an almost childish question, because everyone knows it is the astrological art of electing the most propitious moment for performing an action.
How does it work?
Another real simple question: the client comes to astrologer with the intent of improving his/her chances of success by starting a certain venture at the right time and asks the astrologer to calculate the most auspicious moment. The astrologer takes a look at the natal chart, then goes to the ephemeris and looks for those astrological positions and aspects that will insure a very good outcome.
Why does it work?
Every event of our lives has its own existence according to the astrological elements that influenced its beginning. Making sure that an event starts under positive astrological influences improves its outcome.
Now, there are some philosophical or metaphysical issues concerning the electional astrology.
Is this a way to alter one's destiny?
Technically, it is. The marriage chart for instance acts like a very powerful trend that influences the entire life. Choosing a different marriage chart equals to choosing a different marriage.
Couldn't it be also a spiritual path? Trying to live in harmony with the Universe, according to its astrological laws, does it really help the person to be more harmonious, or does it just emphasizes the "lazy" side of that person?
There are so many astrologers out there that state that the electional astrology should be used only for the major events of our lives like wedding, changing residence or jobs. There are also astrologers that claim that they prefer not to use astrology in their daily living because it'd be too much asking of it or it'd subdue their lives to the stars or maybe the astrology just doesn't work for them.
This is just a matter of how one looks at astrology. If one sees the astrology as an exterior set of rules, like the driving rules, then it is explainable, but the astrology can become a natural part of life, like the weather.
Free will versus Destiny
Getting to the much-disputed free will versus destiny issue in people's lives, one may wonder couldn't the electional astrology reading be also a part of the destiny?
For it is not rare to find very significant correlations between the natal charts and the electional charts. In my experience, I've seen many times on the elected day & time for a significant event, generally marriage, that there is a wonderful correlation with the natal charts of bride and the groom, as if that day was meant to be their wedding date from the beginning. Couples come and say: "We want to get married next year. Please pick a good marriage date". And from the entire range of days of the next year, on the elected date Venus is conjunct the progressed Moon of the bride and trines the Descendant of the groom, although this was not a primary element considered when I elected that day. I've just noticed it afterwards, and said to myself "wow, that's nice!" Or, on other occasions, for instance, I noticed another very special astrological element such as Juno (the asteroid of marriage) conjunct the Ascendant of one of the spouses.
In order to explain this phenomenon, we may consider the marriage chart both as an electional chart (from astrologer's perspective) and as an event chart (from everybody else's point of view). Therefore the marriage chart must incorporate characteristics of both. Ultimately, it is not hazard that the bride and the groom consulted an astrologer before setting their marriage date, this must have been part of the divine plan for their lives called destiny. Then again, what is free will and what is destiny in our lives?
I think that everything that happens is both free will and destiny. We live in this Universe as biological or spiritual beings, as you prefer, therefore we must obey to its rules. This is our "destiny". It is what we do with these rules that is called "free will".
However, every one of us has his/her own destiny. We are bound to some life patterns, according to the natal chart. Therefore, we have different degrees and forms of "free will"...
Please, comment the above ideas, if you wish...
http://astrologyweekly.com/astrology-articles/free-will-destiny.php
Free Will and Destiny in Electional Astrology
First, how would you define the Electional Astrology?
This is an almost childish question, because everyone knows it is the astrological art of electing the most propitious moment for performing an action.
How does it work?
Another real simple question: the client comes to astrologer with the intent of improving his/her chances of success by starting a certain venture at the right time and asks the astrologer to calculate the most auspicious moment. The astrologer takes a look at the natal chart, then goes to the ephemeris and looks for those astrological positions and aspects that will insure a very good outcome.
Why does it work?
Every event of our lives has its own existence according to the astrological elements that influenced its beginning. Making sure that an event starts under positive astrological influences improves its outcome.
Now, there are some philosophical or metaphysical issues concerning the electional astrology.
Is this a way to alter one's destiny?
Technically, it is. The marriage chart for instance acts like a very powerful trend that influences the entire life. Choosing a different marriage chart equals to choosing a different marriage.
Couldn't it be also a spiritual path? Trying to live in harmony with the Universe, according to its astrological laws, does it really help the person to be more harmonious, or does it just emphasizes the "lazy" side of that person?
There are so many astrologers out there that state that the electional astrology should be used only for the major events of our lives like wedding, changing residence or jobs. There are also astrologers that claim that they prefer not to use astrology in their daily living because it'd be too much asking of it or it'd subdue their lives to the stars or maybe the astrology just doesn't work for them.
This is just a matter of how one looks at astrology. If one sees the astrology as an exterior set of rules, like the driving rules, then it is explainable, but the astrology can become a natural part of life, like the weather.
Free will versus Destiny
Getting to the much-disputed free will versus destiny issue in people's lives, one may wonder couldn't the electional astrology reading be also a part of the destiny?
For it is not rare to find very significant correlations between the natal charts and the electional charts. In my experience, I've seen many times on the elected day & time for a significant event, generally marriage, that there is a wonderful correlation with the natal charts of bride and the groom, as if that day was meant to be their wedding date from the beginning. Couples come and say: "We want to get married next year. Please pick a good marriage date". And from the entire range of days of the next year, on the elected date Venus is conjunct the progressed Moon of the bride and trines the Descendant of the groom, although this was not a primary element considered when I elected that day. I've just noticed it afterwards, and said to myself "wow, that's nice!" Or, on other occasions, for instance, I noticed another very special astrological element such as Juno (the asteroid of marriage) conjunct the Ascendant of one of the spouses.
In order to explain this phenomenon, we may consider the marriage chart both as an electional chart (from astrologer's perspective) and as an event chart (from everybody else's point of view). Therefore the marriage chart must incorporate characteristics of both. Ultimately, it is not hazard that the bride and the groom consulted an astrologer before setting their marriage date, this must have been part of the divine plan for their lives called destiny. Then again, what is free will and what is destiny in our lives?
I think that everything that happens is both free will and destiny. We live in this Universe as biological or spiritual beings, as you prefer, therefore we must obey to its rules. This is our "destiny". It is what we do with these rules that is called "free will".
However, every one of us has his/her own destiny. We are bound to some life patterns, according to the natal chart. Therefore, we have different degrees and forms of "free will"...
Please, comment the above ideas, if you wish...